McCutchen has beef with Wieters. I’m trying to figure out why…

During the Orioles 8-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in Sarasota on Monday, right fielder Nick Markakis gunned out Pittsburgh’s speedy center fielder Andrew McCutchen in the fifth inning. McCutchen told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review after the game that he wasn’t too pleased with the way Baltimore’s catcher Matt Wieters blocked the plate.

LAME.
I don’t want to hear “It’s Spring Training,” that’s a stupid excuse. Good on Wieters for standing in front of the plate and making the out. McCutchen shouldn’t have been surprised and he certainly shouldn’t have complained about the fact that Wieters made a proper play on Markakis’ throw.

If he really “wasn’t expecting that much contact” then why did he go sliding into home plate? Isn’t it the catcher’s job to cover?

If former Oriole catcher, now MASN analyst, Rick Dempsey were watching, I would love to hear his take. The Demper preaches proper plate blocking technique and I’m sure he would’ve been fine with Matt covering the plate during a game in March.

What would he have rather had Matt do? Step to the side and let him score?

Zach Wilt is the Founding Editor of BaltimoreSportsReport.com and host of the BSR Podcast. He's a loyal Orioles, Ravens and Capitals fan who is obsessed with baseball, loves traveling, In-N-Out Burger and Walt Disney World.

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